I Don't Love You
by addicted-2-oxygen
Summary: Max has a decision to make: Stay with the one she doesn't love anymore, or pursue the one she does. But who is she talking about, Fang or Dylan? Post FANG. Rated T to be safe.


**Disclaimer: I don't own Maximum Ride. Unfortunately.**

Max stared at the figure before her, unable to believe she had really uttered those eight words. Not that she didn't mean them –she did—she just couldn't believe that they were true. She had finally made her decision... except it was about two years too late.

'I—' she managed to choke out, her eyes as wide as saucers, the emotions whirling around inside her as if her insides had been smushed into a huge blender, and put on at high speed, her eyes fixed onto those that were opposite to her. Full of sadness, pain, and the raw truth.

_I don't love you like I did yesterday._

'But – me and you – us...' The teenage boy that was staring back at her stuttered, gasping for breath in disbelief. 'Max. Don't do this to us.' She flinched away from him as she heard her name tumble from his once perfect lips. Lips that she had been wary of in the beginning, but had later kissed with such a passion later that it had felt like her whole world was complete.

But it wasn't. She had a job to do – and, as much as her head wished for it, her heart knew that she couldn't stay. She had resisted it so much in the start, running away the second their lips had touched, but then she had given in. But those lips were tainted in her mind now, just a reminder of what she should have done, who she should have chosen.

_I don't love you like I did yesterday._

'But, Max,' he protested quietly, tears in his familiar eyes, his hand reaching up to tuck a stray wisp of hair behind her ear. That hand that had once been an extension of her own, an extra limb, that now felt like a blow to her stomach, winding her. She gasped quietly, her head pounding, the enormity of the decision she was making pressing down on her.

His hand stayed on her face, but she resisted the urge to throw herself into his strong arms and beg for forgiveness, as much as she longed to. Instead, she placed her hand over his, feeling the scars that felt as familiar to her as her own. But it was wrong. She gently pulled his hand away, hating the fact that she was causing him so much pain.

_I don't love you like I did yesterday._

His eyes searched hers with a fevered panic that made her heart squeeze out a painful beat, tinged with guilt. But she couldn't stay, she just couldn't. 'I'm sorry. But... me and him... we're just mean to be,' She managed to force out from the lump in her throat. The boy's head fell as he attempted to make sense of what was happening.

'Max,' He whispered brokenly, sounding as if someone had ripped out his soul. She winced; she was causing all this pain. 'Please don't leave.' His arms reached out, out of his control, and encased her, bringing back memories of days that had long past. They were so familiar, so safe that she almost gave in.

'I thought we could work too,' She said softly, a tear dripping down her cheek, 'But I'm meant to be with him. Don't you see, everyone wanted us to work –that's a lot of pressure— but... I just can't.' She extracted herself from his comforting body, knowing in her heart that it was the right thing to do.

_I don't love you like I did yesterday_.

Then she extended her wings, looking like a fallen angel in the soft glow of the moonlight that was shining down, like a spotlight. 'Max!' He yelled, suddenly panicking, not wanting to lose her like this. 'I'm sorry,' She said, her voice cracking on the second syllable, but her expression remaining both tortured and calm, no tears escaping.

And with that, she fell off the ledge, free falling until she was about to hit the ground, swooping up at the last second. She hovered in the night air, grateful for the shadow that covered most of her face, looking back with tears evident in her brown eyes, 'I'm so sorry,' She whispered, knowing he would hear her, focused on the lone figure that was staring after her like a desperate man. 'I just don't love you, Dylan.'

Then she turned to face the vast night sky, breathing in the cool crisp air that filled her with a new kind of energy.

_I don't love you like I did yesterday._

'I'm coming, Fang.'

**Hey guys! This popped into my head as I was listening to 'I Don't Love You' by My Chemical Romance, and I started to wonder what would have happened if Max had stayed with Dylan instead of Fang... Anyway, I hope you liked it :) It's a one-shot for now, but I can extend it to a two-shot if people want.**

**Reviews are always welcome, as usual!**

**addicted-2-oxygen**


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